Tunnels, Kettles, and Power Outs
by whozzat
Summary: A series of one-shots for OrangeAnimal Kinn-based prompts. Enjoy. Ratings subject to change.
1. Dream

**This is going to be a series of one-shots for the OrangeAnimals prompts.**

/

**PROMPT ONE: Cuddle Time**

/

_What a dream I had_

_Pressed in organdy_

_Clothed in crinoline_

_Of smoky burgundy_

_Softer than the rain…_

Kurt kept tossing and turning in his sleep. The crinkling of the sheets kept Finn awake.

_I wandered empty streets_

_Down past the shop displays_

_I heard cathedral bells_

_Dripping down the alley ways_

_As I walked on._

Kurt let out a moan. Finn looked over oddly, wondering what he was dreaming of.

_And when you ran to me_

_Your cheeks flushed with the night_

_We walked on frosted fields_

_Of juniper and lamplight_

_I held your hand…_

Finn sighed. This had been the seventh time since he had moved in that Kurt had a night terror. And he had only moved in, what, a month ago? He wished this didn't happen so often.

_And when I awoke, and felt you warm and near_

_I kissed your caramel hair_

_With my grateful tears_

_Oh, I love you…_

Kurt sprang awake with a slight yelp. He was breathing heavily.

"What is it?" Finn asked, also sitting up, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Kurt said, wiping sweat off his forehead, "Yeah, I'm fine…"

Finn stared at him with his brown eyes, and Kurt almost felt as if they pierced his very soul. He lifted up the blankets over his chest, as to protect his thoughts from Finn's strangely knowing gaze.

"You've never woken up before," Finn said.

"What?"

"You toss and turn and sometimes you moan in your sleep, but you've never woken up before."

"WHAT?"

"Do you have like, nightmares, or something? Or whatever?"

Kurt looked away, mortified, and blushing madly.

"'Cause, yeah," Finn said, "It happens like, a lot. At least once a week."

"Uh…" was the only thing that Kurt's voice box was capable of emitting.

"Do you want to, I dunno, talk about it? Or something? I mean, we don't have to…"

"I'd rather not," Kurt said, lying down facing the opposite direction of Finn's bed.

"Okay…" Finn said, lying down as well.

Then, silence. Kurt knew that Finn was awake and Finn knew that Kurt was awake. Kurt also knew that Finn knew that he was awake, and Finn also knew that Kurt knew he was awake. Kurt _also _knew that Finn knew that Kurt knew he was awake, but sadly, Finn's brain didn't function without confusion at that point.

"I'm walking," Kurt said. Finn's ears perked.

"I'm walking, and as I walk, the scenery around me changes… from fields to alleys to cities to the countryside, from snow to the shore, forests to riverbeds, et cetera."

Finn didn't turn over to look at Kurt, and Kurt didn't turn over to look at Finn.

"And I keep wandering. There's nobody else in the dream. It's completely empty. It's like I have the entire… the entire _world _to myself, but nobody to share it with. And I hear this music, this bizarre, chilling music… and the sky shatters."

Finn could imagine it vividly.

"It shatters into these golden feathers that fill the entire world, they're warm and soft and comforting… and then… my mom. My mom is there. And I run to grab her and hug her, but she's out of reach. She's always out of reach."

Kurt swallowed dryly. He could use some Chap Stick right about now.

"Do you have this dream often?"

"Ever since she died."

Finn rolled over onto his back.

"I've never told anyone this before," Kurt said.

"But for some reason," Kurt also rolled onto his back, "This time it was different."

"How?"

"It wasn't my mom."

"Who was it?"

"It… was you."

Finn blinked, trying to absorb that.

"_You_ were there. I don't know where, or how, or why, but you were there. And when I ran for you, I reached you. And we were… together_. _Not really in any specific way, but I just remember it was… _us_."

Kurt rose his hand out into the darkness, grasping for something, some unknown thing that was invisible to Finn's eye.

"I'm sorry, Finn."

"Why?"

Kurt rolled his head over to look at Finn, who did the same.

"For telling you this."

"Don't be."

Kurt took a heavy, deep sigh in, and dropped his line of sight to the floor.

"I love you, Finn."

He didn't say so sadly. It was rather matter-of-factly. Finn sighed.

"I know that."

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't be sorry."

"Why?"

"Kurt…" Finn sat up in his bed and put his feet on the floor, facing the opposite direction of Kurt, who merely sat himself up by his elbows, staring out into the darkness of the room.

"Kurt, I don't know if I'm gay. I'm actually pretty sure I'm not."

"I know."

"But I think… I don't know. I might love you, too."

Kurt wasn't sure what to make of that. He knew that it was always what he had wanted, but it still wasn't hitting him as he thought it should.

"I just have to think about it, I guess," Finn continued. Kurt thought that was a good deal.

"All right."

"Can I try something?" Finn said, standing up.

"O…kay?"

Finn shuffled over in the darkness toward Kurt's bed. Kurt looked up at him with his fawn-green eyes, that shimmered in the darkness.

Finn leaned over, slowly, hesitating. Internal conflict riddled itself inside of him. He kissed Kurt on the lips, gently, his lips as dry as Kurt's.

Kurt placed the palm of his hand on Kurt's heart and Finn shivered.

Both of their lips moistened again with the other's kiss. They parted in unison and stared at each other with their wide eyes.

Kurt lied back down and Finn crawled into his own bed, and they slept.

That was the last time Finn heard Kurt having a nightmare.

/

**Glee belongs to Fox.**

"**For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" by Simon and Garfunkel.**


	2. Dance

**/**

**PROMPT TWO: Ballroom Dancing**

**/**

"We're going to be doing a slow-dancing number this week," Mr. Schuester said in his usual lively way. A few groans from around the choir room responded, with the exception of an excited gasp from Rachel Berry.

"To get you guys more excited than that, we're going to be having a friendly competition. In partners, you'll compete against one another, and we'll see who can get-jiggy-with-the-waltz the best!"

An unenthused sigh and the many bored observations of cuticles met the teacher's excitement.

"And today, I'm letting you pick your partners. See you next week!"

The fact that Mr. Schuester was letting them choose lightened the mood slightly. The club members gathered their things and left, most immediately partnering up. Kurt crossed his arm with Mercedes' and suggested an Edith Piaf tribute and exited, Finn staring after him as Rachel vividly described a _Jekyll & Hyde_ number that she had been mentally choreographing since sixth grade.

Finn was terrified. As if he wasn't bad enough at dancing, now he had to do _ballroom? _Rachel was going to hate him for stepping on her feet so much.

"Finn! The LOD! Observe the LOD!"

It almost bothered Finn that Rachel just assumed what that was. But he didn't blame her. It had been two days of practice and he still had no idea what was happening.

"I'm sorry… let me try again…"

Rachel hit the "play" button on her stereo and Finn placed his hands accordingly and stared at his feet vacantly as he tried to figure out where to move.

Twelve and a half seconds passed before he stepped on her foot. It was a new record.

"Ugh!" Rachel groaned, sitting on her bed and rubbing her foot, "That's enough for today. We'll practice more tomorrow."

"I'm sorry Rachel, I'm just not good at this…"

"Whatever."

"I love you?"

She paid him no mind as she removed her shoe and massaged her toes. Finn dropped his head dolefully and exited.

The next day passed too quickly for Finn's taste- he did not want to go back to Rachel's house again today. He purposely left his backpack in the auditorium after Glee practice so he'd have to go back and retrieve it.

When he did return to the auditorium, he found Kurt tinkling on the piano keys. It was when Finn observed Kurt's feet tapping rhythmically when an idea popped into his head.

"Kurt?"

Kurt looked over abruptly, eyes wide.

"Oh, Finn, it's just you," Kurt said, "You scared me."

"Sorry… I had a favor to ask."

"What's that?"

"Y'know this whole… ballroom dancing thing?"

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering if you could help me out. With the dancing stuff."

Kurt stood and moseyed down the stage steps.

"_Help you out with the dancing stuff?" _Kurt snickered as he leaned on a seat, "I don't know, Finn, wouldn't that be like _helping the enemy?"_

Finn shoved his hands in his pockets, understanding Kurt's logic.

"I just don't want Rachel to get mad at me, I guess."

Kurt's cynicism suddenly vanished.

"Rachel, huh."

_Great, now he'll never help me, _Finn thought, _Nice work, Finn, mentioning this is for Rachel to the one person who hates her more than anyone._

"Okay then," Kurt said, to Finn's surprise.

"What?"

"I'll help you," Kurt responded, going backstage to get stage tape out of a cupboard.

"Right now?"

"Yes, right now," Kurt said, marking the stage with pieces of tape.

"W… well do you have music?"

"Yeah, I can plug my iPod on over the speakers."

"Oh… thanks!"

Kurt merely nodded as Finn took his sweater off and placed it on the piano bench.

Kurt pointed to the markings he made.

"You'll be facing stage right, your right side to the wall and your left side to the audience. Got that?"

Finn nodded.

"Straight ahead of you, this line here, that's the LOD, or the Line of Dance. The line facing the other way is ALOD, or Against the Line of Dance. Does that make sense?"

Finally, someone explained what LOD meant. Finn nodded again. Kurt went on describing the alignment, Wall, Center, Diagonal Wall, et cetera. Finn thought it would be hard for him to keep track, but it was surprisingly simple.

"That's Alignment, which is, put simply, what direction to go in when you dance. Then there's foot work…"

Kurt continued on and Finn listened avidly. He wondered where Kurt learned all of this. Definitely not his dad. He didn't imagine Burt would be the kind to teach his son the waltz.

"Ready to try?" Kurt said. Finn nodded again.

"Rachel probably taught you hand placement, so I figure…"

"Actually," Finn cut him off, "She kind of didn't. She was too busy with my feet."

"Oh," Kurt said quietly, "Well, in closed position, which is the basic position, the girl puts her hand on the guy's shoulder…"

Kurt stood centimeters away from Finn, exhaled nervously, and placed his hand up on Finn's shoulder. Finn felt the heat from Kurt's breath on his collarbone, and his shoulder tingled under Kurt's hand.

"And then the guy puts his hand on the girl's waist," Kurt said even quieter, looking away from Finn's eye.

Finn warmly brushed Kurt's waist with his palm. Kurt blushed immediately.

"And then they hold hands with their empty hands," Kurt said again. Finn's fingers curved around Kurt's hand and rose it slightly. Kurt looked up at Finn and Finn returned the gaze. Finn suppressed his breathing as much as he could, afraid of having bad breath.

"I'll lead first, and just watch my feet, and I'll give you direction as we go along," Kurt said, trying his best to keep this professional. He pressed play on a remote and a slow chamber played in.

_Like the beat-beat-beat of the tom-tom  
When the jungle shadows fall…_

"Sinatra?" Finn nearly whispered.

"I figured it was appropriate. It's really slow, good for beginners…"

_Like the tick-tick-tock of the stately clock  
As it stands against the wall…_

It came more naturally to Finn this time, as the two boys slowly waltzed across the stage. Kurt's quiet voice pointed him the way.

_Like the drip-drip-drip of the raindrops  
When the summer shower is through  
So a voice within me keeps repeating you, you, you…_

Finn attempted to turn Kurt around, and much to his surprise, succeeded. He subconsciously pressed himself up against Kurt more than before. Kurt blushed further, but eventually his nervousness subsided.

_Night and day, you are the one  
Only you beneath the moon or under the sun._

"Want to try leading?" Kurt said.

"Okay…" Finn said.

He hesitantly lead Kurt along. Kurt didn't have to direct him now, so the two simply danced in silence.

_Whether near to me, or far  
No matter darling where you are,  
I think of you_…

Frank cooed through the speakers of the auditorium with his melted-chocolate voice, and Kurt quietly hummed along.

_Night and day, day and night, why is it so  
That this longing for you follows wherever I go?_

Finn had his arm completely swathed around Kurt's waist now, and Kurt's arm was likewise around Finn's neck. They were pressed together like sandwich bread, and the warmth of Kurt's torso meshed together with Finn's beating heart.

_In the roaring traffics boom,  
In the silence of my lonely room,  
I think of you…_

Finn rose his eyes to Kurt's, and though he was much taller, his face was merely inches from Kurt's. Kurt's eyes swam with emotion that Finn couldn't read. Finn opened his mouth, trying to find his previously lost breath.

_Day and night, night and day  
Under the hide of me  
There's an oh- such a hungry yearning, burning inside of me…_

"W… want to try a dip? The end of the song is coming up…"

Finn didn't say anything, but ever-so-slightly nodded, his eyes not leaving Kurt's for a moment.

_And this torment won't be through  
Until you let me spend my life making love to you!_

Finn grasped the other boy's waist and dipped him toward the ground. Finn's nose brushed Kurt's, and the sensation of Kurt's breath on Finn's lips made him shiver.

Finn bent his head in slightly. His top lip brushed against Kurt's bottom one. Kurt made a little noise in surprise as Finn closed his eyes, gently kissing. Kurt returned the small kiss and they parted, Finn pulling them both back up.

_Day and night… night and day…_

The two boys left their embracing dance. Kurt blinked in shock at Finn, who still wasn't fully sure what just took place.

"Finn?" a female voice called from an auditorium door. Finn turned abruptly to see Rachel standing in the doorway.

"Rachel… how long have you been standing there?"

"I just came in to get my sweater."

Finn turned around. Sure enough, drape over a maroon theater-seat, was a knit-sweater with a unicorn on it.

"What's going on?" Rachel said, skeptically, eyeing Kurt.

"Nothing," Finn said quickly, "Kurt was just…" Finn looked at Kurt, his eyes pleading.

"I thought I had a cavity and I wanted Finn to check."

"Yeah! He's clean though, ha-ha…"

"I see…" Rachel said, "Well, Finn has to come practice our waltz number now, so if you'll excuse us…"

"Oh of course," Kurt said. He looked over at Finn with his shining blue eyes, "I look forward to beating you."

"Hah! In your dreams," Finn said, descending the steps and grabbing Rachel's sweater. He handed it to Rachel, who looked curiously at him.

"Bye Kurt," Finn said tenderly, waving at the well-dressed boy standing on the stage.

"Bye, Finn…"

As soon as Finn and Rachel had left, Kurt walked over to the piano bench. He sat upon it and brushed his lower lip with his fingers, asking himself if Finn's lips had really kissed his, and trying to regain the feeling again.

**/**

**Glee belongs to Fox**

"**Night and Day" by Frank Sinatra**


End file.
